365 Challenge: Day 46 – Simple

Simple: easily understood or done; presenting no difficulty; composed of a single element; straightforward

Simple is usually a good thing, when it’s applied to things or actions. You can accomplish more and feel less restricted when something is simple to do. When it’s applied to people, it can more often mean something negative as well as something positive, even at the same time.

I consider myself simple, when it comes to keeping myself entertained or interested in others. I tend to follow that ole familiar saying: KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid), meaning don’t over-complicate whatever it is you are trying to do. Ensure everyone can understand, then you make a bigger impression with whatever is the goal.

For me, I apply the simple approach for most things right out of the gate, increasing the intensity or complexity depending on whatever I’m trying to accomplish. I’m not focusing on work-related items, as that’s similar but in a different manner. I’m referring to how I keep myself focused during the day. Examples:

I don’t need to be entertained 24/7. I’m perfectly comfortable reading, watching TV, wandering around the house… not needing a lot of conversation or interaction with others. Of course, I couldn’t do that all the time, but generally, that’s a simple approach.

I attempt to limit any and all stress in my life by keeping my days simple. Certain things get me worked up, but generally, I’m not going to get upset when I don’t need to. It’s all a matter of perspective and analysis, understanding what the real item at hand is.

If I have multiple paths to complete something, I tend to look for the easiest one that will accomplish the most. “Biggest bang for the buck.”

I certainly don’t take those tendencies overboard… but it’s a fair balance to be able to do more with less. I’d rather not spend hours trying to design something until it’s perfect, when I can find a good/solid approach and be comfortable knowing there might be something better and I didn’t get there or do that. I don’t see this as not being a perfectionist, which I’ve already confessed I am. A perfectionist needs things to be perfect, but simple can also be perfect.

When things are simple, you have less expectations. When things are simple, you can observe the beauty of something in its natural state or its innocence. When things are simple, you have a moment to breathe and enjoy it.

Things we should all try to find simplicity in:

Don’t get caught up in “what should we do” today… enjoy the time together, even if it’s just sitting in a quiet room and doing nothing for an hour.

Find a picturesque landscape and reflect on different aspects of its beauty. Think about your five senses: see, hear, smell, touch and taste.

Don’t over-analyze why the other person did something that made you upset / confused. Ask them… or let it go… or choose to accept the simplest answer (I’m talking about the little things!)

Don’t get angry about things (again, minor items) and be sure to find a way not to let it impact you.

Don’t over-plan such that you can’t sit back and let something happen naturally.

Having a simple approach can make your day and your life a whole lot better. That said, I am not always simple. A few points I need to improve on as the way I work below can be stressful and the opposite of simple:

If I have company, the apartment needs to be spotless. I always clean.

If I’m cooking a meal, it is usually not simple. Must have 20 ingredients.

If I’m doing anything financial (bills, projections, investments), it is never simple. I obsess over pennies, and we’ve talked about that part of me before.

Just be careful you don’t become uncaring or lackadaisical about things. Sometimes it is important to be more focused. You also don’t want to give off an impression that you are non-committal or too removed from a situation.

How do you ensure more simplicity in your life? I’m asking for a friend… who is me… so I can keep on improving every day. Give me 20 ways please, it’s on my mind all the time… and I must improve. LOL

About Me & the “365 Daily Challenge”

I’m Jay. I am 40 and live in NYC. By profession, I work in technology. By passion, I work in writing. I’ve always been a reader. And now I’m a daily blogger. I decided to start my own version of the “365 Daily Challenge” where since March 13, 2017, I’ve posted a characteristic either I currently embody or one I’d like to embody in the future. 365 days of reflection to discover who I am and what I want out of life.

The goal: Knowledge. Acceptance. Understanding. Optimization. Happiness. Help. For myself. For others. And if all else fails, humor. When I’m finished in one year, I hope to have more answers about the future and what I will do with the remainder of my life. All aspects to be considered. It’s not just about a career, hobbies, residence, activities, efforts, et al. It’s meant to be a comprehensive study and reflection from an ordinary man. Not a doctor. Not a therapist. Not a friend. Not an encyclopedia full of prior research. Just pure thought, a blogged journal with true honesty.

Join the fun and read a new post each day, or check out my book reviews, TV/Film reviews or favorite vacation spots. And feel free to like, rate, comment or take the poll for each post. Note: All written content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators.

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12 comments

I love this post, James. I often think of these things to myself and feel the same way. I feel like my biggest problem with keeping life “simple” is people who make life complicated and aren’t willing to change.

I love what you say here, “I attempt to limit any and all stress in my life by keeping my days simple.” I do the same, but it’s a challenge sometimes. I’m hoping more people will comment on this…

I’ll go a step farther than readrantrockandroll and say that anytime someone else is involved, your life becomes less simple. I’m not saying having people in your life is bad, it just complicates things. A work example is the number of bosses or layers of bosses you have. The more bosses, the more expectations. Same with family and friends. Within that structure you can work to simplify things, but if you consider the feelings and desires of someone else in your life, it by definition becomes more complicated.

I’ve never heard of the Simple approach but the way you describe it here it’s very much the way I approach things! very straightforward and uncomplicated. We call our philosophy the OK Way. We decided everyone always strives to be happy, and ends up stressed and miserable, so we would go for being OK, lowering expectations and so lowering the associated stress, we’ve been at it for a few years now and so far so good! Like your approach it’s about keeping things simple.

Thank you very much for the retweet! Yes, you get it. We seems to have the same approaches on all these parts of life. The OK Way. That’s great. I’m glad it’s working for you all! Thank you for sharing.

I seem to have a problem “living in (or savoring) the moment.” I have even bought a coffee mug to remind myself to do so, but I find myself constantly jumping ahead to plan for “the next thing.” Any ideas on how to simplify and get over this?

This is a bit of a tough one. You mentioned on a previous post that you are not “passive” as I am, but you instead prefer to always have something “in the hopper,” so to speak. If it’s hard for you to sit back and just let things happen so you can experience and enjoy, you might have to force yourself to do it. Figure out what the triggers are: (1) does silence bother you, (2) is not physically moving frustrating, (3) do you function well with a list of priorities and tasks for each day/week? Also, where do you find yourself relaxed enough to allow yourself a few moments of freedom? Is it out walking and watching nature? Is it lying in bed at night after you’ve gotten everything done? Is it listening to music in a dark room?

If you can start with a few things that let your mind calm down a little, whatever has worked in the past, maybe it’s something you can “force” yourself to try on a go forward basis. Maybe it’s 15 minutes every other day or an hour a week, but reserved time… occurring when you have completed the bigger things that weigh on your mind.

And then maybe if the mood and environmental conditions are right, you have a better chance at just looking at some things around you (physically or mentally)… to reflect on your goals, your needs and your upcoming days/weeks/months/years.

Savoring the moment probably won’t happen on its own unless you put yourself thru a few little tests to figure out when/how/why it can happen for you.